Author: jrrtestadmin
HONORABLE MENTION – 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award
On behalf of the Palapa Society of Todos Santos, I wanted to let you know that your generous check and beautiful certificate from Judith’s Reading Room were received today. I am leaving for Todos Santos in 2 weeks so the check will be deposited in about three weeks when I arrive.
We are thrilled with the recognition and will use the funds wisely to purchase children’s books (as indicated) and continue the work of literacy in Todos Santos.
Thank you again for this honor.
Sincerely,
Kathy Warnert
Palapa Society of Todos Santos
On behalf of The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, we were delighted to learn of the Honorable mention for the 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award. This is a great honor and will inspire the many people who work hard to foster bilingual literacy in the greater Todos Santos area.
Please accept our gratitude. We recognize that literacy is the key to future opportunities and we sincerely appreciate this recognition from your organization. We plan to share this news with the students, families, and teacher who will be proud of their achievements.
Sincerely,
Kathy Warnert
Palapa Society of Todos Santos
2017 “Freedom Through Literacy” Award July 7 Midnight Deadline Approaches
July 5, 2017 — Lehigh Valley, Pa. Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization founded in 2010, reminds the public that the application for its 3rd annual “Freedom Through Literacy Award” is Friday, July 7 at midnight. The application is available at www.judithsreadingroom.org.
The Award honors individual champions of literacy from all disciplines around the world — teachers, librarians, authors, researchers, educators, literacy non-profit leaders — anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading. Top prize is $3,000 and one runner-up will be awarded $1,000. An honorable mention will be eligible to win $500 value in new books.
One change marks the 2017 Award: First, Judith’s Reading Room will accept “nominations by self” and also nominations for others. Therefore, if you are a student or a parent of a student and you love your teacher or librarian: nominate them!
Since its inception, Judith’s Reading Room has established 95 libraries in 18 countries filled with more than 127,000 books valued at nearly $1.4 million. Judith’s Reading Room founded the “Freedom Through Literacy” Award in 2015.
Librarian “Walks the Talk”
Reading in Resita City, Romania
2017 Award Flyer
Judith’s Reading Room Announces Changes to its 2017 “Freedom Through Literacy Award”
Judith’s Reading Room Announces Changes to its
2017 “Freedom Through Literacy Award”
Lehigh Valley, Pa. – February 19, 2017 — Judith’s Reading Room, a local literacy nonprofit organization founded in 2010, announces changes to its third annual Freedom Through Literacy Award. The Award honors individual champions of literacy from all disciplines around the world — teachers, librarians, authors, researchers, educators — anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading.
Two changes were voted unanimously by the organization’s Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting that materially affect the organization’s 2017 “Freedom Through Literacy Award.”
First, in order to continue funding the Award into the future, without solicitation for contributions, the Board voted to change the prize money structure for the Award. Beginning with the 2017 Award, the top prize winner will receive $3,000 cash and one (1) runner-up will receive $1,000 cash. One Honorable Mention will receive $500 worth of new books to support their program.
Second, in order to conserve resources and to recognize that any international winner would most likely not be able to fly to the United States to attend an award dinner, the organization will not announce its winners at the Keystone State Reading Association conference. Instead, winners will be announced on the organization’s website and through social media no later than the end of July, 2017.
The Application for the 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award is available on line and the deadline for applications is July 7, 2017.
Since its inception, Judith’s Reading Room has dedicated 95 libraries in 18 countries containing 127,179 books worth nearly $1.4 million.
Special Friday at Mukwashi
Read about Judith’s Reading’s Room involvement during Special Friday at Mukwashi. We are so excited to have been a part. The photos show who this is all about!
Children’s Library Opens in Zambia
Judith’s Reading Room announces its 95th Library in its 18th Country
November 29, 2016 — Lehigh Valley, Pa. Judith’s Reading Room, a local literacy nonprofit organization founded in 2010 announced today that it opened its 95th library in the world in its 18th country. The Mukwashi Trust School, serving 385 children in grades Pre-K through 9th, near Lusaka, Zambia is the latest recipient of a custom, hand-picked collection of outstanding children’s literature.
In collaboration with John Farrell, founder of Bridges of Peace & Hope and 2016 Runner-Up of the Freedom Through Literacy Award, Judith’s Reading Room responded to the proven results of Mukwashi Trust School and dedicated itself to providing the perfect books. “These books will help the children learn to read and allow them to expand their horizons and knowledge in ways that will enrich their lives for many years to come,” said Farrell. He added, “the students, teachers and families of Mukwashi Trust School LOVE books and believe that reading and writing connect them to the world beyond the school and beyond their country.”
Judith’s Reading Room sponsors the annual $10,000 Freedom Through Literacy Award open to teachers, librarians, authors, booksellers, non-profit literacy organizations and educators — in a word, anyone in the world who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading. Click here for the online application the 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award. Deadline for applying is July 7, 2017.
The Judith’s Reading Room library at Mukwashi Trust School is dedicated in the memory of Nancy Kasso, sister of the co-founders of Judith’s Reading Room. Nancy was an avid animal lover and tireless volunteer who dedicated her life to making and preserving beautiful things. Judith’s Reading Room has eponymous libraries in 18 countries containing a total of 127,179 books valued at nearly $1.4 million dollars. The organization is dedicated to building connections and relationships around the world through adult and children’s literature.
2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award Kickoff
Judith’s Reading Room Kicked-Off its 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award at PA Statewide Literacy Conference
October 26, 2016 — Lehigh Valley, Pa. Judith’s Reading Room kicked off its 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award over the weekend at the 2016 Keystone State Reading Association’s (KSRA) 49th annual conference in Seven Springs, PA. Board members staffed a display that highlighted the organization’s 2016 Award winners and encouraged conference attendees to apply for the 2017 Award. The conference attracted 350 reading specialists, authors, librarians, booksellers, and literacy experts representing myriad disciplines.
The 3rd annual $10,000 Freedom Through Literacy Award, a signature element of Judith’s Reading Room, a non-profit literacy organization founded in memory of Judith Krug, a librarian whose career spanned 40 years with the American Library Association, will honor six individual champions of literacy at KSRAs 50th annual conference in Hershey, PA, October 8-11, 2017. Award winners will headline a best practices panel at the conference to demonstrate how their award-winning initiatives can be replicated.
Applications for the 2017 Freedom Through Literacy Award are available on line at www.JudithsReadingRoom.org/APPLY. Anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading from anywhere in the world is eligible. The Award carries a top prize of $5,000 and up to five $1,000 runners-up awards.
Deadline for applications is July 7 2017. Individuals may self-nominate or others may nominate their favorite literacy champion.
Library at Aitezaz Hussain Shaheed School
Judith’s Reading Room Library at Aitezaz Hussain Shaheed School
The story of the Judith’s Reading Room Library at Aitezaz Hussain Shaheed School from Basarat Kazim, 2015 Grand Prize winner of the Freedom Through Literacy Award. Thank you Basarat for sharing!
It was the 6th of January 2014.It was a cold, misty morning. School had been in session for almost a week. Hangu has a long summer break and the winter holidays are brief. Aitezaz had come back to school with his usual smile and helpful attitude. He had also made plans to work really hard and excel in his studies.
So,happy and alert he was a short distance away from school when a fellow student called out, “Aitezaz, look! That man has something which doesn’t seem right”. Aitezaz looked. The man did too. And in that split second, Aitezaz knew what he must do. He understood the man’s motive. He was approaching the school with ill intentions. He was going to create disaster. Aitezaz ran. The man did the same, but before he could enter the gates of the school, Aitezaz grappled with him. The bomb exploded and the two were no more. One a hero, the other a murderer.
And so Aitezaz Hussain of Hangu, a small district in KPK Pakistan, became a national icon, a legend, a Shaheed ( martyr). At the age of 15, he accomplished what many are not able to in much longer life spans.He gave up his own life for the collective good, choosing to die himself but save hundreds others.
Grieving parents and a traumatised school bore this loss with the quiet dignity and grace that has become Pakistan’s lot. So many of its daughters and sons are repeatedly swallowed up by the evil tentacles of terrorism!
When the 1st Judith Reading Room’s library arrived in Pakistan, Aitezaz’s school seemed the right home for it, and so that is where it went, along with furniture, some more books and materials so that the school could have its own library.
The school has lessons in Urdu, Pakistan’s national language, but English is taught as a subject. The students had access to English story books and fiction for the first time. While talking to some teachers from the school I learnt that the high school has been extended to twelve grades now, instead of the previous ten. The older boys who are keen to enhance their skills and knowledge come to the library before school or during free periods to enjoy the books. The dictionary has become a great favourite as they look up meanings of words they don’t know. And the books are opening up new worlds to them. They are reading stories about other lands, other young people and building bridges between cultures. Walls that separate people into ‘the other’ are crumpling. So for Mohammad Shams, aged 10, the library forms another world, one he visits to pick up books, look at their pictures and form words that make up the story. He has one chicken, two goats and a cow at home so stories about animals appeal to him.
Afaq Hussain turned 14 this year. He wants to study medicine and plays cricket in his spare time. Sitting and reading in the library is a favourite past time.
It allows him to dream about his future!
Muallim Ali is 18 years old. He spends volunteer hours at the National Institute of Pharmacy and is keen to learn more about disease control. He also wants more knowledge to further his hobby, and also the family’s need, of growing vegetables.
Books are broadening horizons and creating new possibilities. Thank you Judith’s Reading Room for entering the lives of school children in Hangu, Pakistan.